Growing Food in Kane County: Evaluating Public Lands for Local Food Production

Kane County Agriculture Committee May 19, 2014

Areas of Discussion

• Project background • What we did • Next steps

Project Team

Project Background

Create a decision-making framework for evaluating public land in Kane County for local food production

Project Scope

• Regional trend: supply is not meeting demand

• Common barrier: lack of available, affordable, right-sized land for starting a local food operation

• Kane County interested in transitioning publicly-owned land for producing food for local consumption

– Land could currently be in agriculture, underutilized, or vacant

Purpose

Project Background

• Help equip Kane County with tools to evaluate potential sites for conversion to local food production

• Provide a framework that any local government could adapt to its own location

CMAP Goals

Project Background

Connection to other projects in Kane County • HIA Report (released May 2013)

• Growing for Kane ordinance (adopted August 2013)

• Food Hub with Northern IL Food Bank (study in 2014)

• U of I – Extension “Beginning Farmers” program (December 2013 – November 2015)

Project Background

• Process

– Research and consult experts on best practices and common criteria

– Borrow from similar tools like LESA and urban agriculture studies

• Content

– Established universe of criteria, made several cuts, developed something broad enough to be replicable

– Some criteria relate to physical and environmental characteristics

– Other criteria relate to infrastructure and assets

Criteria Selection

What We Did

Evaluation Criteria

What We Did

Each of the criteria include a description, means of measurement, and suggested data sources.

Tier 1: Ownership Cover Type Land Size Access to Water Solar Exposure Productivity of Soil Contamination Slope Proximity to Sensitive Natural Areas Restoration Plans / Potential

Tier 2: Cost of Accessing Water Existing Useful Structures & Resources Available Parking Potential Accessory Structures Marketing Potential Community Connections

Evaluation Criteria

What We Did

• How to use:

– Measure and map criteria for which data is available

– Eliminate unsuitable sites

– Apply Tier 2 criteria for more specific assessment

• Other considerations:

– Public ownership nullifies need to include some criteria like cost of land, tax status

– Additional level of screening for political support, potential funding for readying the site, etc. must occur

• FPDKC identified sites which currently have land in conventional farming

• Could potentially transition acres of those farms to food production to diversify crops and revenue

• FPDKC has 2-year leases

Public Land Considered

Site Example: LeRoy Oaks Forest Preserve

• 42 acres currently farmed

• Highly productive soil

• Accessible water supply

• Further assessment needed of impact on Ferson Creek

• Near the “beginning farmers” training program

Site Example: Aurora West Forest Preserve

• 180 acres currently farmed

• Close to populous areas

• Good roadway access

• Near other agriculture

• Good soil, but prime if drained

• Nearest well water in the Preserve is a half mile away

Final Products • Process Report / Guide

– Kane County can apply to other sites that emerge for consideration

– Other public entities can use as framework to adapt to their locations

Next Steps

• Brochure / Fact sheet

– Kane County can distribute to municipalities to encourage them to consider this land use transition in their communities

Implementation • Apply criteria to sites of interest

• Determine Agriculture Committee involvement

• Grants and partnerships

Next Steps

Questions?

Jessica Gershman jgershman@cmap.illinois.gov

312-386-8631